For The Love Of Port

Decanted 6 hrs which was OK. Some sediments at decanting. Deep purple colour. Aroma of minerals, wood and dark berries (especially cherries). Medium to full body. The taste is both powerful and elegant with lovely fruits which are not too sweet. Fine tannins nicely integrated in a well-structured vi...

Purchased from the Norwegian Wine Monopoly December 2010, and since then stored in our temperature-controlled wine cellar. Decanted 3.5 hrs. Dark brown colour with a touch of red. Light rim. Deep aroma of sweet berries, wood, anis and herbs. Full body. Taste was powerful, elegant and in general foll...

Hi John M and Glenn! Two bottles purchased at auction June 2020. The first bottle (which I did not post at FTLOP) was consumed August 2020. That bottle was scored at 90 pts. So, this second bottle consumed March 2021 got the same score. These bottles were released 1972, and purchased by me 48 years ...

Second of the two bottles from Norwegian auction June 2020. Bottled by the Norwegian state Monopoly. Decanted 3 hrs 45 min. Managed to get up a very wet cork (with the help of the Durand). Plenty with sediments. Medium redbrown colour. Aroma is showing overripe plums and actually some dust. Full bod...

Purchased at the Norwegian State Monopoly December 2011. Last bottle. Decanted 3 hrs which was OK. Plenty of small sediments at decanting. Wonderful colour in a mix of medium brown and touch of red. Nice aroma of soil, minerals, nuts and oak. Some prunes in the background. Full body. Taste is a bit ...

Decanted 4.5 hrs. A lot of small sediments at decanting. Dark purple colour. Fresh and pleasant fruity aroma with some floral notes. Medium to full body. Taste is full of fruit with both elegance and power. Acidity/sweetness-balance is OK. Well-structured vintage port which was a bit dry towards the...

I base myself only on vintage ports for this evaluation. Then these two producers must (in my mind) be included in Tier 2, although they have "only" 15-20 years of history with their present labels. Quinta do Vale Meao (first vintage with their own set-up was 2000) Pintas (Wine & Soul)...

This is Vale D Maria’s top level of Douro reds. 15.5 % alc. Decanted 4 hrs (next bottle will be 5 hrs). Dark red colour with a light rim. Nicely balanced aroma of herbs, fruit, and some minerals. Full body. Taste is at start powerful, but during consumption it became more and more elegant. Herbs can...

Hi Eric! I agree they need much more time.
As I have totally 9 btls of the 2011 Tonel 3-4, I decided to try one.

As I have some bottles of this product/vintage, I wanted to check it out to find the status. For the regular Mouchao I normally decant them for 5-6 hrs. The Tonel 3-4 needs more time. Decanted 8 hrs, which worked well, although it will be 9 hrs for the next bottle. Deep, deep purple colour with a li...

Decanted 4 hrs. No sediments. Dark purple colour. Nice aroma of mix fruit, oak and minerals. Full body. The taste is elegant/smooth and with some power. Less resistance than for other vintages of Crasto Reserva. Well-structured Douro red. The acidity/sweetness-balance was good, although the acidity ...

Decanted 4.5 hrs. Deep dark purple colour with a light rim. Powerful aroma with elements of herbs and some wood. Full body. Powerful and exciting taste with plenty fruit, oak and herbs all in a nice combination. A well-structured wine with well-integrated tannins. Super acidity/sweetness-balance. Lo...

Purchased two bottles 5 years ago. First bottle consumed December 2015 was not what we expected and it got 87 pts. At that time, I wrote: “Could be that it will benefit from 3-5 years in the cellar, but I am not sure.” So now it is 5 years since the first bottle. This second bottle was better. Bottl...

Have had many of these during the last 10 years. Purchased recently the last 8 bottles that were available in Norway. No decanting. Clear amber colour. Aroma of exotic fruits incl. apricot. Medium to full body. The taste is rich, fruity, elegant. Pleasant, nice citrus, mature fruit (but not overripe...

Thanks for the tasting note.
I had this colheita port a year ago, and it is really something to look for.

Decanted 4 hrs, which is perfect. Dark purple colour. Aroma is really something special. Wonderful fruit and nice combination with minerals and oak (latter in the background). Hint of something smoked. Full body. Taste is powerful and elegant, but still with distinct tannins. Like all the other 2011...

Decanted 6 hrs which was OK. Deep dark red colour with a touch of brown. Inviting aroma of fruit, minerals and some oak and hint of prunes. Full body. Powerful, elegant, minerals, nice berries with a sweet touch (prunes), nice acidity/sweetness-balance. Mature, but still fresh. Long aftertaste. Very...

Winemakers Christiano van Zeller and Sandra Tavares. Decanted 4 hrs, which was perfect. Deep purple colour with a light rim. Aroma was really Douro, with the wonderful mix of fruit, oak and minerals. Full body. Powerful. Nice portion of minerals (good tannins) without being overwhelming. Wood in the...

Foot trodden. Bottled 2015. Decanted 2 hrs, which was sufficient. Purple colour. Inviting aroma of minerals and fruit. Medium body. Elegant from start and throughout the consumption. Minerals in good combination with fruit. Good acidity/sweetness balance. Nice and distinct at the end. Medium to long...

Ole Martin Alfsen (OMA) is a Norwegian chef/sommelier who has various wines produced with his own recipe. That includes many varieties from Piedmont, Riesling from Germany, various beers and now port wine. From Quinta do Noval. Bottleshape, information on the label etc are just like a normal Noval-b...